The Shining Ones (25 page)

‘We would have thee take up Bhelliom and seal us in this valley.’

‘That’s all?’

‘That is all we ask. Put us beyond the reach of all others, and put all others beyond
our
reach. All will be served by this – Elene and Tamul, Styric and Delphae. Use the infinite power of Bhelliom to set us apart from the rest of mankind so that we may continue our journey undisturbed.’

‘Journey?’

‘A figure of speech, Anakha. Our journey is measured in generations, not in leagues.’

‘An even exchange, then? You’ll help us to deal with our enemies if I close off this valley so that no one can ever get in – or out?’

‘An even exchange, Anakha.’

‘All right. I’ll think about it.’

‘She won’t talk to me about it, Sparhawk,’ Vanion sighed, ‘or about anything else, for that matter.’ The silvery-haired Preceptor and his friend were speaking privately in a small room just off the corridor that led to the cluster of tiny, cell-like rooms where they had spent the night.

‘You
were
just a bit blunt last night,’ Sparhawk told him.

‘Irrational behavior irritates me. I wish Aphrael were here. She could straighten Sephrenia out in fairly short order.’

Sparhawk slid lower in his chair. ‘I’m not so sure, Vanion. I don’t know if I’m supposed to tell you this, but I get the feeling that Aphrael wouldn’t interfere. Before she left, she told me that Sephrenia has to work this out for herself.’

‘Could Itagne shed any light on this antagonism between the Styrics and the Delphae?’

Sparhawk shook his head. ‘No more than he’s already told us. The whole business seems to date back to the time of the war with the Cyrgai. That was about ten thousand years ago, so history’s a little vague about what really happened. Evidently the Styrics and the Delphae were allies, and there seems to have been a betrayal of some sort.’

‘I gathered as much. Can Itagne make any guesses about who was betrayed?’

‘No. The Styrics have made themselves useful to the Tamuls over the centuries – in much the same way as they made themselves useful to the Church in Eosia. They’ve been busy insinuating
their
version of what happened into the Tamul perception of history. From what Cedon told us last night, I’d say that the Delphae have infiltrated the University of Matherion and inserted Delphaeic literature into the Tamul culture with precisely the same idea. The events of ten thousand years ago are going to be buried under a thick layer of myth and legend anyway, and with both the Styrics and the Delphae busily muddying up the waters, the real truth probably won’t ever come out into the open.’ He smiled faintly. ‘I’m not sure how significant it is, but the Styrics tried to contaminate the historians, while the Delphae spent their time trying to contaminate the poets. Interesting contrast, wouldn’t you say?’

‘Aphrael would know the truth.’

‘Probably, but she’s not talking. I know her well enough to know that her silence is deliberate. I don’t think she really wants us to know who was originally at fault. She doesn’t seem to want us to take sides for some reason, and that puts us in a very difficult position. I don’t think we’ll ever find out the truth behind this racial antagonism – not that it really matters. I doubt
if Sephrenia or the Anari themselves even know. They’ve both had the benefit of about four hundred generations of hysterical propaganda to set their prejudices in stone.
Our
problem is that the Delphae can probably hold us here indefinitely. If we try to ride away, they’ll just turn us around and lead us right back, so eventually we’re going to have to negotiate with them. We all love Sephrenia, though, so if we
do
negotiate with the Delphae, she’ll take fire spontaneously.’

‘Yes, I noticed that. What am I going to do, Sparhawk? I bleed when she so much as pricks her finger.’

‘Lie to her,’ Sparhawk shrugged.

‘
Sparhawk!
’

‘You don’t have to be too obvious about it, but lean your neutrality slightly in her direction.
I’m
the one in charge of Bhelliom, so Cedon’s going to have to deal with
me.
Technically, you’re secondary here – sorry, Vanion, but it’s true. Cedon’s going to be negotiating with me, not you. Glare at me now and then and raise objections. Sephrenia’s behaving irrationally, so the others, like good, logical Elenes, are going to oppose her. Let’s not isolate her entirely. You’re the most important person in her life, and if
you
seem to be turning against her as well, you’ll break her heart.’ He smiled a bit wryly. ‘I’d take it as a personal favor, though, if you didn’t let her turn me into a toad about midway through the negotiations.’

‘Let’s go back a step or two, revered Anari,’ Sparhawk suggested when they had gathered again in the large, sunken room. ‘I need to know exactly what I’m getting involved in here. I’m
not
going to do anything to injure the Styrics. They’re sometimes a prickly and difficult people, but we’ve grown fond of them for some reason.’ He smiled at Sephrenia, hoping to soften her displeasure. ‘You mentioned a journey of some sort. I get
the feeling that this journey might be central to our discussion. Where are you going?’

‘We are changing, Anakha. When the world turned against us, we appealed to Edaemus to protect us.’

‘Your God?’

The Anari nodded. ‘We were a child-like, unsophisticated people before the war with the Cyrgai, and Edaemus lived among us, sharing our simple joys and transient sorrows. Of all the people of this world, we were the least suited for war.’ The old man looked at Sephrenia. ‘I will not offend thy teacher by speaking the truth about what led to our being made outcast.’

‘The truth is well known,’ Sephrenia said stiffly.

‘Yes, it is, but
thy
truth is quite different from
ours.
You believe that one thing happened, and we believe that something else took place. But that, Sephrenia of Ylara, is between us, and it doth not concern these Elenes. In truth, Lady, neither Styric
nor
Delphae were very admirable in that unfortunate affair. For whatever cause, Anakha, the Delphae were cast out, and the hands of all men were turned against us. We appealed, as I said, to Edaemus, and he responded by laying a curse on us.’

‘This Edaemus of yours has a peculiar way of showing his affection,’ Ulath noted.

‘It was the only way to protect us, Sir Knight. We are not war-like and have no skill with the weapons with which other men kill each other, and so Edaemus cursed us to make our merest touch a weapon. Other men soon found that the touch of our hands meant death.’

‘Then why am I still here, Cedon?’ Kalten asked. ‘I’ve been helping Xanetia on and off her horse for several days now, and her touch hasn’t killed
me.
’

‘We have learned to control the curse, Sir Kalten. That was a part of the plan of Edaemus when he raised his hand against our lake.’

‘The lake?’

The Anari nodded. ‘Edaemus could not bear the thought of laying his curse upon us directly, and so he cursed the waters of the lake instead. The lake is our only source of water, and we therefore must drink of it. When first we came to this valley, the mind of Edaemus was as child-like as ours. In the spirit of play gave he the waters of the lake that peculiar essence which doth illuminate us. We drink of the lake, and its waters infuse our bodies. Out of love did Edaemus make us appear like Gods. It was a harmless entertainment, and we soon forgave him for so altering us. When the world turned against us, however, did Edaemus curse the lake, and its infusing waters, changed by that curse, changed us as well. The touch of death which doth hold our enemies at bay is but a small part of the design of our God, however. Circumstance hath set us apart from this world, and it is the intent of Edaemus to set us yet further apart. We are changing, my friends. Our bodies are different, and our minds and spirits as well. We are no longer as ye – nor as once we were. With each generation this inexorable change progresses. Xanetia, dear, gentle Xanetia, so far surpasseth me that I cannot even begin to comprehend the extent of her thought. In time, methinks, she will equal – or even surpass – the very Gods themselves.’

‘And then you will supplant us,’ Sephrenia accused. ‘Even as the Trolls supplanted the Dawn-men and as we are supplanting the Trolls, so will you despised Delphae become our masters, putting aside our Gods and kenneling us like dogs in uninhabitable wastelands while
you
enjoy the fruits of the earth. We Styrics have endured such treatment at the hands of the Elenes for eons, and we have learned much. You will not so easily subdue us, Cedon, and we will not worship you nor fawn at your feet like whipped dogs.’

‘How may we supplant thee and seize thy lands, Sephrenia of Ylara? We are bound to our lake and may not long be away from its waters. Thy submission, moreover, would have no meaning for us, for we will not be here. We journey toward the light, and we will
become
light. My Xanetia, who will be Anarae, could join with the light even now, but those of us who have not yet reached her perfection hold her back. When we are dead there will no longer by any reason for her to remain, and she will lead the Delphae out to dwell among the stars with Edaemus, who hath gone before us to prepare our home.’

‘Where you will be Gods,’ Sephrenia added with a spiteful sneer.

‘That is a word without meaning, Sephrenia of Ylara,’ Xanetia said quietly. ‘All of us, Gods
and
men, move toward the same goal. Edaemus hath gone before us, and we will go before thee. We will await thy coming with love, and we will even forgive thee for the wrong that thou hast done us.’

‘
Forgive me?
’ Sephrenia exploded. ‘I spurn thy condescending forgiveness!’ She had lapsed, probably without realizing it, into archaic Styric. ‘I will
never
forgive thee nor accept any of
thy
forgiveness.’

‘But thou wilt, Sephrenia,’ the glowing woman disagreed. ‘Even now is thine heart doubtful within thy breast. Thou art of two minds, gentle Sephrenia. I know thee well, and I know that this hatred of thine, like winter frost, doth lurk in the dark, shaded places of thy soul. I do assure thee that it will melt in the warm sun of thy loving nature – even as mine own hatred doth even now begin its painful thaw. But make no mistake, Sephrenia of Ylara, I do hate Styrics even as thou hatest the Delphae. An hundred centuries of enmity is not lightly cast aside. I do
hate
the perfidious Styrics, but I do
not
hate thee. I know thine heart, dear sister, for it
is even as mine own. In time will we both put aside this childish hatred and live together in peace.’

‘
Never!
’

‘Never, dear sister, is a long, long time.’

‘I think we’re getting a little far afield here,’ Sparhawk cut in. ‘This sealing up of the valley isn’t intended to be eternal, I gather?’

‘There would be no need of that, Anakha,’ the Anari replied. ‘Once we are gone, Edaemus will lift his curse from the lake, its waters will return to normal, and other men may freely come to this valley without fear.’

‘I should probably tell you that if I seal the valley with Bhelliom, I
will
seal it. I can absolutely guarantee you that no Delphae will ever leave. If you’re going to turn into moonbeams or sunlight, that won’t inconvenience you, but if you’ve got some other notion hidden away, you might as well forget it. And if this Edaemus of yours has a secret agenda involving some sort of retaliation against the Styrics, you’d better tell him to drop it. Bhelliom eats Gods for breakfast – as Azash found out. Do you
still
want me to seal your valley?’

‘Yes,’ Cedon replied without hesitation.

‘How about you, Sephrenia?’ Sparhawk asked. ‘Would that kind of guarantee satisfy you?’

‘They’ll try trickery, Sparhawk. They’re a deceitful race.’

‘You know the Bhelliom, Sephrenia – probably even better than I do. Do you
really
think anybody – man
or
God – could trick it? If I tell it to keep the Delphae in and everybody else out,
nobody’s
going to cross the line – not you, not me, not Aphrael, not Edaemus – not even the God of the Elenes. Even if all the Gods of this world and of all their worlds combined, Bhelliom would
still
keep them out. If I seal this valley, it will
stay
sealed. Even the birds and angleworms won’t be able to leave. Will that satisfy you?’

She refused to look at him.

‘I need an answer, little mother, and I’d rather not have to wait all year to get it. Will it satisfy you?’

‘You’re hateful, Sparhawk!’

‘I’ve got a lot on my mind just now. Think it over and let me know what you decide.’ He turned to face the Anari. ‘All right, now I know what you want. The next question is what’s in it for me? What do
I
get out of this arrangement?’

‘Our assistance in thy struggle with thine enemies, Anakha.’

‘That’s a little unspecific, Cedon. I’ve got the Bhelliom. What can you possibly do for me that I can’t do for myself ?’

‘Thou must have the cooperation of the jewel, Anakha. Thou canst compel the stone, but it loves thee not, and it doth sometimes deliberately misunderstand thee – as when it took thee and the Child Goddess to Demos when thou sought to go to Delo in Arjuna.’

‘How did you know about that?’ Sparhawk was startled.

‘Thy mind is open to me, Anakha, as are all minds. This is but one of the services we can offer thee. Would it not be to thine advantage to know what those about thee are thinking?’

‘It would indeed, Cedon, but there are other ways to wrest the truth from men’s hearts.’

‘But men who have been put to the torture know that they have been tortured, and they know what they have revealed unto thee. Our way is more subtle.’

‘He’s got a point there, Sparhawk,’ Kalten said. ‘What am
I
thinking right now, Cedon?’

‘Thou art troubled by the duty to slay Xanetia should our people play thee false, Sir Knight. Thy mind is gently inclined toward her.’

‘He’s right about that,’ Kalten admitted to the others.
‘I think these people
can
hear what others are thinking.’